


Ode To Strangers

by starblanket



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Idk what i'm doing, M/M, Multi, My first fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-25 06:01:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6183451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblanket/pseuds/starblanket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s usually at this point that Dan rolls over and forces himself to sleep, reminding himself that he doesn’t really know these people, goddammit, and it’s creepy and weird to have a crush on a couple. Then he gets up the next morning and carefully ignores the butterflies that flap wildly in his stomach when he gets a bright smile and a, “Hey, Dan!” from Arin on his way to work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Everyday Dan passes by the same man on his way to work. 

Not that this is abnormal. On the contrary, there are several people he passes everyday on the way to work. He nods politely towards them as he passes, and they return the gesture in unspoken solidarity for those that have become used to mundane routines as they have.  


This man, though, is different. Though to express how he is different is quite difficult for Dan. He just is. He passes by everyday wearing jeans and a t-shirt, or a hoodie if it’s chilly. He has brown hair with a golden streak down one side, and warm brown eyes. For all intents and purposes, he’s not really all that special in any way. Pretty normal.

Dan has still taken an interest in him. Enough that he’s noticed how long the man’s hair has grown over the past couple of months, touching his shoulders now. Enough that he can tell when the man is tired, by his sluggish step and heavy eyes. Enough that Dan has thought about stopping to talk to him. Enough that he’s noticed the man’s wedding ring.

Dan thinks that’s the main reason he’s never tried to really catch the guy’s attention. He’s married. Might even have kids, for all Dan knows. And Dan is not one to overstep boundaries like that. 

It doesn’t help that Dan has totally psyched himself out by basically putting the dude up on a pedestal. He’s created so many scenarios in his head of how this man might be, what he does for a living, what kind of music he likes to listen to, how he looks when he laughs, how his kisses taste… Dan tries not to stray too far past that. He fears his (not so) casual interest may turn into something more like pining if he does. And Dan doesn’t need that. He’s fine just as he is.

This morning is no different. Dan passes and nods at all the usuals – the older blonde lady in a pantsuit, the super buff dude walking his dog, the sulky-looking teenager in her Target uniform – when finally Dan sees him. He seems like he’s in a good mood today, wearing a small smile and nodding his head to whatever he’s listening to on his phone. Dan can’t help but smile back, and it spreads as they make eye contact and the guy waves. The moment is over quickly as they both continue walking in opposite directions, but that doesn’t keep a warm feeling from bubbling up in Dan’s chest as he nears the grocery store he’s currently working in. He actually keeps the smile on his face as he clocks in and takes his place behind the cash register.

 

Unfortunately, Dan’s mood only plummets as the day goes on. He’s had two old ladies go off on him because he wouldn’t use their out-of-date coupons, a kid bumped into a display and sent goods flying everywhere, and his feet were aching from standing up all day. Dan was longing for four o’clock to come around so he could just go home and go back to bed.

He had just decided that he was going to order pizza for supper when they show up at his register. It’s the guy with the blonde streak and a beautiful woman that can only be his wife – which Dan concludes from her wedding ring and the way the two’s hands are intertwined – unloading their shopping cart onto the conveyor belt. Dan’s eyes widen slightly and he just might cry. The last thing he needed was to deal with his not-crush and the man’s WIFE. 

“Did you find everything okay?” he forces out, thanking whatever gods may be that his voice doesn’t portray what he feels.

“Yep,” the woman replies brightly, smiling sweetly at Dan. And dammit if Dan can’t help but to smile back.

He listens to them jokingly bicker as he finishes checking them out, refusing to admit how endearing he finds it, and watches them go with a, “Have a nice day.” His stomach knots up and he plants his face into his palm before checking the time and heading to clock out. 

 

Over the next couple of weeks, Dan’s crush on the couple only gets worse. They don’t help, really, with how they’ve practically become regulars at the store, one or both of them stopping by every now and then to pick up one thing or another, and almost always using Dan’s register. He’s come to really appreciate both of their personalities. Suzy is super sweet, but can be very sarcastic when she wants to be, and Arin is basically the biggest goofball ever and manages to make Dan laugh every time he sees him.

This being said, Dan has only learned all of this through small talk exchanged while he checks them out. He realizes he doesn’t really know the couple. Not really. They’re all just polite to each other, Dan reminds himself, as is expected in a customer/employee relationship. The only thing that’s different is that now when he passes Arin in the mornings, more often than not they add a “Hey, man” or “What’s up?” on top of their usual social niceties. 

They’re still practically strangers. This doesn’t keep Dan’s mind from wandering late at night, though. He thinks about all of them smashed together in one big bed, himself in the middle. His arm around Suzy’s waste, his thumb grazing the soft skin on her stomach where her t-shirt has ridden up a little. His back pressed into Arin’s strong chest, and Arin wrapping an arm around both Suzy and Dan, so he can rest his hand over Dan’s where it lays on Suzy’s stomach. 

It’s usually at this point that Dan rolls over and forces himself to sleep, reminding himself that he doesn’t really know these people, goddammit, and it’s creepy and weird to have a crush on a couple. Then he gets up the next morning and carefully ignores the butterflies that flap wildly in his stomach when he gets a bright smile and a, “Hey, Dan!” from Arin on his way to work. 

Maybe if he ignores it, it’ll just go away.


	2. Chapter 2

Thursday means band practice. Band practice means Brian Wecht. Brian Wecht either means super awesome friend that’s extremely intelligent and funny, or absolute asshole that Dan loves in spite of himself. 

“Oh, here’s one. What about ‘Things Will Never Be The Same (I've Applied Too Much Ketchup To This Hamburger)’?”

Dan is practically crying from laughing so hard at all of the song title ideas Brian keeps reading off a list on his phone. Fortunately, today is an awesome Brian day, which is just what Dan needed after the long-ass week he’s had. He wonders if Brian could tell that he wasn’t in the best mood when he showed up. Whatever the reasoning behind it was, Dan is thankful. He sits up and tries to compose himself, taking a few deep breaths, a giggle or two still escaping here and there, only to fall back into another uncontrollable fit of laughter as Brian lists off another song.

Finally, things settle down as Brian runs out of titles and Dan catches his breath, sinking back into the couch. After a few comfortable moments of silence, Brian gives Dan a calculated look.

“So what’s been up with you lately?” he asks in a careful tone.

Dan tenses up. “Ummm… What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I can tell. You’ve just seemed a little off.”

Dan sighs. “Brian –“

“Danny,” Brian interrupts, in the same exasperated tone of voice. “What’s wrong? You know I’m here for you.”

Affection for his friend washes over Dan in a warm wave. He starts to talk, staring down at the floor so he doesn’t have to watch Brian react to what he’s saying. He talks and talks, explaining the situation the best he can, hoping Brian doesn’t think he’s too weird. Though at this point, if he’s not expecting weird from Dan, what rock has he been living under?

There’s another moment of silence after Dan finishes explaining where he just continues to stare at the floor and concentrate on his breathing. In, 2, 3, 4. Hold it. Out, 2, 3, 4. Repeat.

“Dan,” Brian starts, “It’s okay.” Dan finally looks up.

“It’s okay that you like them both. Sure, it’s a little out of the social norm, but what about you isn’t?” Dan snorts.

“From how you described them, they seem like cool people. I trust your judgement. Just be careful, okay? Don’t get too wrapped up in them if it’s only going to hurt you.”

Dan swallows hard. “Thanks, Brian.”

“Of course,” he responds almost nonchalantly, as if they weren’t talking about how Dan wants to hook up with a married couple he met at his workplace. Brian gets up and crosses the few feet to Dan, sits next to him on the couch, and wraps him up in an unexpected hug. Dan reciprocates almost immediately.

“This is weird,” he says dryly into Brian’s shoulder. 

“Fuck you,” Brian responds warmly, and hugs him tighter.

 

Things continue on the same course for another week or so. Dan continues to greet Arin in the mornings. He and Suzy drop by the store frequently, making small talk and jokes with Dan about anything and everything. Brian doesn’t really mention the couple again, though he definitely keeps an eye on Dan and makes sure he doesn’t spend too much time wallowing in self-pity, dragging him out on different excursions around the city whenever he gets the chance.

The first Monday in June Arin comes by the store, and things are basically the same as they are literally any other time he stops by. At least until Arin says, “Hey, man. You should hang out with me and Suzy sometime. Y’know, outside of a grocery store.”

It seems out of the blue. Dan feels his eyebrows twitch upward despite an attempt to carefully school his expression. No need to get all starry-eyed on Arin, it might weird him out.

“Uh, uhm – Yeah. That’d be cool.” Smooth, Avidan.

Arin grins. “Nice.”

They exchange numbers so that they can make plans later. Dan inwardly freaks out the whole time, amazed that this man he’s been admiring from afar for months now all of a sudden may be in his day-to-day life. Might be his friend.

Dan fights an enormous grin as he waves goodbye to Arin. And he definitely does not fist pump as soon as Arin’s back is turned.

Later that day, Dan gets a text that reads, “Hey, Dan. This is Suzy! Hope ya don’t mind that Arin gave me your number. :)”

Dan debates how to respond for longer than he’d like to admit, spending way too much time trying to figure out how to be casual, “but not too casual, y’know?” as he said to Brian.

Yeah, he maybe called Brian.

“Okay, but is a winky face sexual? I’m not trying to be sexual, yet. I mean, at all. Period. Anyways, we’re barely acquaintances. But smiley faces are okay. They’re just friendly. Or are they sarcastic? I don’t know, man, what do you think I should put?”

Silence.

“Brian?”

 

He decides on the smiley face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaay for supportive!Brian! I just love it. 
> 
> Thanks for those that have read and commented so far. I appreciate any and all (constructive!) criticisms and feedback (again, first fic).


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. Life's been crazy lately. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this sooner rather than later. (Please don't hesitate to make corrections, I wrote this pretty quickly.)

To Dan, it feels like things escalate quickly. He gets a phone call from Suzy on Friday during which she invites him to come to an improv show with her and Arin that night. 

“It’ll be fun!” she insists. “A couple of our friends are a part of the group. They’re awesome and funny. I think you’ll enjoy it.” 

Of course he can’t resist saying yes, despite having had a horrible day at work and just wanting to sleep. He goes home, where he showers and changes, and meets them at the show. Suzy is right. He enjoys the improv, and going out to eat afterward with Arin, Suzy, and their friends from the show was just as entertaining. He manages to push most of the anxiety that stemmed from the need to make a good impression out of his head, and just spent time enjoying the good food and better company.

After this, Dan found himself hanging out with the couple, and occasionally some of their other friends, three or four times a week. They were just friends all of a sudden. It was strange.

Thursdays were still his and Brian’s, though. He’s his best friend, and he can’t just not have that day for them. Thursdays have been their day for years. It always feels a little awkward when Dan has to turn down anything Arin and Suzy invite him to on that day, though. And it’s only a matter of time before they figure out he only turns them down on Thursdays. 

Not that he’s ashamed of Brian or anything. He loves Brian. Hell, he’s proud to be Brian’s friend. He’s just kind of worried they’ll laugh about him being in a band. That they’ll think he’s lame and irresponsible for not getting a ‘real job’ because that would take time away from working on music for his comedy band called Ninja Sex Party. 

Brian is surprisingly supportive about all of his anxieties concerning the couple discovering his involvement in the band. 

“As adamant as I am that you should be proud of what we’ve done with this band, I get it. It’s easy to be worried about what people will think of us for this. How immature we must seem sometimes,” says Brian. Dan gets another hug after this conversation. He doesn’t almost tear up or anything. Nope.

Dan can tell Brian wants to meet Arin and Suzy, though. Even though he hasn’t mentioned it, Dan can tell. 

 

It’s Wednesday, and Dan is at Arin and Suzy’s house, sprawled out on a chair that’s sitting cater-cornered to the couch the couple are lying on together. 

“Hey, we were gonna go see a movie tomorrow night, if you wanna come with us,” Arin says. 

“Nah, man,” Dan says, nonchalantly scrolling through something on his phone. “I’d love to, but I’ve got plans.”

There’s a second of silence that Dan doesn’t pay much attention to, though he feels like he should have, in retrospect. 

“Hey, Dan,” Suzy starts, “Not that it’s any of our business, but what is it that you always have to do on Thursdays?”

It’s the question that Dan’s been dreading, but now that the subject has finally come up, he’s not as panicked as he was expecting to be. “Oh, I have a friend that I always hang out with on Thursdays. It’s just kind of a tradition.”

“Oh, okay. That’s cool,” says Suzy. “I hope that wasn’t too nosy. I was just wondering.”

“Nah, it’s cool. Brian’s awesome. You guys should actually meet him sometime.” It surprises Dan even as it comes out of his mouth, but he doesn’t find himself regretting it, so it’s alright. 

Arin smiles softly, and it makes Dan’s stomach do a small flip. “That’d be awesome.”

There’s a moment where Dan is just overcome with love for the two people in front of him, his eyes flicking back and forth between their faces. “Cool. I’ll talk to him about it.”

And Dan does talk to him about it. Brian is ecstatic, to say the least.

“FINALLY. When do I get to see them? Are they busy tonight? We’re not busy tonight. I mean, we had that one thing we were going to work on, but that can wait – “

Dan rolls his eyes and texts Arin that he’ll bring Brian by Saturday night for video games and Chinese takeout. 

 

“AHHHHH Fuck this shit why is this level even a thing fucking shit mother fucker – “

Brian, Suzy, and Dan all laugh as Arin starts losing his mind (yet again) over the video game he’s playing. 

“I’m sorry, dude,” Dan says with a mouthful of lo mein. Arin pauses the game and tosses the controller beside him. 

“I think I need a break, anyway.”

“I’d say so,” chuckles Suzy. “We can just talk for a while or something. Get to know Brian some. How Danny knows him and stuff.”

Dan tenses up a little. He can feel the whole band topic coming up. It doesn’t necessarily have to, but it might as well. Dan shrugs. Not that Suzy and Arin will judge him too harshly for it. They’re so cool about everything. He’s sure it’ll be fine.

Dan grabs a tight hold on this sudden surge of confidence that seems to have overcome him. He's not sure what's made his mind do such a sudden 180 on the topic, but he doesn't want to let it go.

“We’re kind of in a band together?” he blurts out, ignoring the semi surprised look Brian shoots him.

“Yeah?” asks Arin. “That’s so cool. What kind of band is it?”

Brian takes this opportunity to join in the conversation. “We’re a comedy band. We’re called Ninja Sex Party, and we both have characters. I’m Ninja Brian and Dan goes by Danny Sexbang.”

Dan covers his face as he feels heat rush to his cheeks. So maybe the embarrassment he had for the situation had not completely dissipated. Arin and Suzy just laugh. “That sounds awesome, man,” says Arin.

“Yeah!” agrees Suzy, still stifling a small laugh. “I’d be into listening to your music sometime.”

Arin nods. “Totally. You guys are both super funny, and just the names sound hilarious. You should let us listen to some stuff.”

Still mildly flustered, Dan agrees sheepishly. The butterflies are back in his stomach. He’s not sure why he was ever worried they would think he was lame. He holds himself back from pulling them both into a tight hug as an overwhelming wave of love for the couple hits him. 

That was something that seemed to be happening more and more these days. Dan tried to push it down, but it always managed to work its way back up. Man, what is he gonna do?


	4. Chapter 4

Soft caresses on the skin of his side, feathery kisses on eyelids. Dan’s eyes meet Suzy’s and he blinks sleep away slowly, once, twice. She looks like an angel sitting next to him, back against the headboard and white sheets pooled around her waist. Morning light shines through sheer curtains, creating a halo around her head. His eyes follow the trail her dark hair creates in contrast to pale skin, down to slender shoulders, then further down to round breasts and a smooth, flat stomach. Her whole body glows and she looks soft, warm. Everything is warm.

The sensation leads to the discovery that he’s nestled into Arin’s side. Arin, whose arm is tucked between Dan’s neck and the pillow, who’s not quite awake yet – but awake enough that his fingers are drawing circles where they rest on Dan’s shoulder and a small, complacent smile rests on his face. 

Suzy shifts and bends to graze her lips along Dan’s collar bone – breasts brushing lightly against his chest – and then up his neck, where she stops to suck lightly on his pulse point. Sensing the shift, Arin finally cracks his eyes open. Using the hand that’s not trapped beneath Dan, he lightly traces Suzy’s jaw to where it meets the skin on Dan’s neck. 

Just as Arin begins shifting to become more involved in what was going on, Dan wakes up to his alarm blaring loudly in his ear. The cozy feeling from the dream only resides with Dan for a moment before he realizes he is alone in bed, he is actually kind of cold, and his stomach is already knotting up at just how fucked he is if that dream was even a little representative of how far gone he is for the couple.

He rolled over and groaned into his pillow, willing the half chub he developed in his sleep to please just go away so he could pee when he got up.

 

They had all been hanging out at the couple’s house again tonight. Dan and Brian were invited over because they just had to see some awful B-List movie from the 80s that Arin insisted was so bad it was funny. To be fair, Arin was right, and everyone had spent their fair share of time laughing. 

Brian left pretty early after the movie was over, only responding, “Work tomorrow, asshat,” when Dan whined for him not to go. After they all tell Brian goodbye, Suzy goes to bed, saying she’s tired but for them to have fun, leaving only Dan and Arin in the living room together.

“You were right, man, that was totally worth watching,” says Dan, “Even if it was a total train wreck.”

“Now, Dan. I’m pretty sure that was an airplane.”

Dan whacks Arin with the closest throw pillow. “Oh my god, stop,” he cries as they both break into a fit of laughter.

“Hey,” Arin starts as they both come down, “I’m just curious, and maybe it’s not really my place to ask, but are you and Brian like – ?” He widens his eyes and gestures vaguely, as if that was supposed to mean something. 

Dan mocks him, widening eyes and all. “Like…?”

“Y’know,” Arin draws out, beginning to sound a little uncomfortable. “Are you guys, like, dating? Or something?”

“What?” Dan exclaims, laughter seeping back into his voice. “No. Nah, man, we’re just friends. Close friends, I mean, and when you live together for a while you’re BOUND to see eachother’s dicks sometime – “ They break into laughter again. 

“Nah, I’m just kidding. We’re just friends, man.”

“Oh, okay,” says Arin. “That’s cool. Not that it wouldn’t have been alright if you were, I mean, but. Yeah.”

Dan raises an eyebrow and smirks a little. “I gotcha. It’s cool.”

The conversation lulls a little, allowing Dan the opportunity to internally freak out over how tight he’s pressed against Arin. Arin is choosing this. There’s the entire rest of the couch and numerous other chairs in the room. And Arin is pressed right up against him. His mind flashes back to the dream from that morning. Being all tucked up against Arin. Intimately. Dan shivers.

He makes eye contact with the other man, who seems to be watching Dan just as closely. 

“Hey, Dan?”

“Yeah?”

“This probably isn’t my place to ask either, but are you completely straight?”

Dan looks away, tensing and bringing his hand up to cup the back of his neck. “Uhm, not exactly,” he says hesitantly, hoping that he doesn’t weird Arin out or anything. “I’d say I’m pretty strongly confirmed to be bisexual.”

“Yeah?” Dan nods.

“Cool,” breaths out Arin. 

Had he still been making eye contact, Dan probably wouldn’t have been so caught off guard by the hard kiss Arin crashes against his lips. Dan’s eyes slam shut immediately, and it’s all teeth, tongue, and heavy breathing for a moment. Dan’s hands come up to rest on Arin’s shoulders, and he feels Arin’s hands on both sides of his face, thumbs sweeping across his cheeks.

It’s then that Dan’s brain kicks into high gear. A million questions are whirling through his mind all at once. What is he doing? Why is kissing Arin? Why is Arin kissing him? What will Suzy think? 

Alarm bells keep going off inside Dan’s head, and he pushes Arin away. Arin falls back against the couch. His eyes are as wide as saucers when Dan shoots up from his place on the couch and grabs his jacket, then begins heading for the door. “I have to go.”

Arin scrambles to get off the couch. “Wait. Wait! Dan, wait. I’m sorry, man. I shouldn’t have done that. I just – “

But Dan is already out the door. He practically sprints to get to the safety of his car, and his hands shake as he attempts to fit the key to the ignition. He’s trying not to throw up or hyperventilate. He concentrates on breathing. 

In, 2, 3, 4. Hold it. Out, 2, 3, 4.

He tears out of the drive way and speeds all the way back to his apartment. He doesn’t even realize he’s crying until he licks his lips and tastes the salt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter! To those that celebrate, anyways. (Hope you got some candy, either way.)
> 
> Sorry this one's so angsty, but at least someone made a move! Maybe they'll all get it together soon. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

The post-panic attack depression swoops in like a swift kick to the gut. It’s not that he wasn’t expecting it. Panic attacks usually lead to short bouts of anxiety-driven depression for Dan. This time it’s so much worse, though.

He just can’t stop thinking about everything that happened. The memory is in slow-motion. Arin licking into his mouth. The way his shoulder muscles felt under Dan’s fingers. Their noses bumping. Arin’s hair tickling his face.

He called in sick to work. Said he has the flu. He knows he needs the money, but fuck, he knows he wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything if he went in, so it would be futile. Mabel, the aging red-headed manager with a smoker’s voice, believed him, anyway. She said he sounded horrible, and sweetly wished him to get well soon. 

Dan knows that some of the anxiety would probably dissipate if he would just talk to Arin or Suzy. He knows. But the anxiety he feels every time he so much as thinks about it is so overwhelming it makes him dizzy. So he’s turned off his text notifications and refuses to answer his phone. He knows he has voicemail after voicemail. 

It’s been two and a half days in bed so far. Nothing to eat or drink, and despite being in bed, no sleep either. Just lots of staring at the wall.

 

Dan forgot that he gave Brian a key to his apartment. That being said, he still probably should have expected Brian to come busting in at 5 pm on Wednesday, after two whole days of no contact whatsoever – no texts, phone calls, nothing.

He punches Dan in the arm.

“Owwww.”

“Why haven’t you been responding to me, you asshole? I thought you might be dead or something.”

“Really, man?”

“Yes!”

There’s a pause. “Well, I’m sorry.”

Another pause. Brian sits down on the edge of the bed. “What’s going on, Danny?”

When he doesn’t respond, Brian’s sharp, “Dan,” makes him jump. He feels like he’s being chastised by his dad.

“Something… Something might have happened,” he says hesitantly. “With Arin.”

“…Oh.”

Dan sighs, but sits up so he can speak more directly with Brian. “Yeah.”

“What kind of… something?”

“Uh, it was, uh. It was just a kiss. After you left Sunday night. I mean, I don’t know. He kissed me. I think. But I kissed back? And then I just. I freaked out and ran.” Dan pulls his blanketed legs into his chest and wraps his arms around them. “I had a panic attack.”

“Aw, Dan,” Brian says, wrapping Dan up in a hug. “Why didn’t you call me?”

Dan rests his forehead on Brian’s shoulder. “I don’t know, I wasn’t thinking straight. Haven’t been thinking straight for a couple of days. I just feel sick.”

Brian pulls back from the hug and squints as he looks Dan in the eye. “When was the last time you ate?” he asks sternly.

Dan looks away sheepishly. “Sunday night?”

“Goddammit.” He gets up. “Alright. You’re going to get up and shower and put on clean pajama pants and a t-shirt. Then you’re going to eat something, and then we are going to watch a movie or TV or something until you fall asleep on the couch.”

“No, Brian, that’s alright, you don’t have to do all – “

“Dan,” Brian cuts him of sternly. “Go.”

Raising his hands in surrender, Dan gets up and heads toward the bathroom. Despite having protested against it, he was actually extremely relieved Brian showed up. His stomach was unknotting some. He really appreciated it all.

 

Dan fell asleep on the couch, just like Brian said he would. When he woke up, there was a blanket thrown over him, and morning light was streaming through the windows. 

“Morning, sunshine! I’m so proud. You slept for a whole eight hours!” Brian called from the doorway.

“You’re still here?”

“Damn right. And I made breakfast. So come eat.”

Dan shuffles into the kitchen still wrapped in the blanket, wearing it around his shoulders like a cape. Brian places a bowl on the table in front of him as he sits down. 

“Brian. This is a bowl of cereal.”

“Yep. But originally it was going to be my bowl of cereal, and I gave it to you. So you know I truly love you,” Brian says as he pours another bowl. Dan laughs, making Brian smile as he sits down across from him. “I’m glad you seem to be in a better mood.”

“Yeah, well,” Dan says with a mouthful, “Don’t talk about it too much, or I’m sure my mood will dive again.”

Brian nods in agreement, and they eat in silence for a while. When he finishes, Brian gets up to wash and put away his bowl and says, “Listen. I don’t want you to drift back into depression, especially since I have a class to teach this afternoon and won’t be back around until sometime tonight. So I’m not going to push you. BUT, I do think you should talk to Arin or Suzy.”

Dan pushes the last piece of cereal around in his bowl, watching it skim across the top of the milk. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for that yet.”

Brian squeezes his shoulder. “Okay. That’s okay. I’m not asking you to be. But I do think you should think about it a little, okay? You need to find out where you stand with them.”

Dan nods. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. I will.”

Brian smiles. “Good. I’ll see you later tonight, okay?”

“You don’t have to check up on me, man. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“I know,” Brian says as he heads toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

Dan sighs and smiles a small smile. “Okay.”


	6. Chapter 6

After Brian leaves, Dan is left to his own devices. He watches TV for a little while. Plays around with his guitar for a little while. Tries to read, but just can’t concentrate.

He almost wishes he hadn’t canceled on work.

Around two, Dan finds himself staring at the home screen on his phone. He has a rather lofty number of notifications. Not an enormous amount, in the end, but considering what all had gone on over the past few days, an intimidating amount. Finally, Dan decides to check on phone calls first. Eight of the missed calls and three of the eleven voicemails are from Brian. All of the others are from Arin. And then there’s one from Suzy. 

Dan feels like he might be sick. Suzy. Clearly, Arin must have told her. What does she think? He’s almost scared to find out.

Honestly, Dan is tempted to just delete all of the messages. Cut the couple out completely and just avoid all confrontation with this issue for forever. God, he couldn’t do that, though. He loves Suzy and Arin too much. God, does he love them.

He hits play on the oldest one first.

“Hey, Dan, listen, I am so, so sorry,” Arin’s voice pours through the speaker. “I guess I must have misread things but it seemed like it would be okay at the time, and man, I’m so sorry that I freaked you out and I promise I won’t do it again.” Everything is coming out in a frantic rush, and Arin’s voice sounds thick. Had he been crying? “Fuck, just. Please call me back, okay? Please.”

Dan hated hearing Arin so upset. And what does he mean, ‘misread’? Dan plays through the others, which are all variations of the same. Some Arin cusses more, some he sounds weepier, and some he sounds quiet and tired. Next comes Suzy’s.

Bracing himself for yelling, cussing, and whatever else, he’s surprised to hear a relatively calm sounding Suzy over the phone.

“Hey, Dan. I don’t think a voicemail is really the way to address everything, so I’m not going to. But. I think you should talk to Arin, okay? Or me. Preferably both of us, actually. I think we need to explain ourselves, and I – we – would really appreciate that chance. Okay. Well, uh. I’ll talk to you later.”

Dan pinched the bridge of his nose and stared down at the phone on the table. Clearly something is going on that’s lost on Dan. He couldn’t handle talking to Arin yet, though. Not yet. So when he picked up the phone, it was Suzy he found himself calling.

“Hello?”

“Hey, uh. It’s Dan.”

“Yeah, I, uh. Hey, Dan.” There was a shuffling noise on the other end of the phone. “Do you want to talk?”

“No,” Dan sighed at having jumped in with that too quickly. “I mean. Yeah, just. Not on the phone? I wanna see you guys in person. I’d rather talk to you guys in person.”

“Okay, uh. Yeah. When do you want to meet?”

“Maybe not tonight. I’m not quite ready yet, I don’t think. But… Tomorrow?”

A shaky breath. “Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good. Do you wanna come over tomorrow around four, maybe? Or maybe you don’t want to come to our house, we can meet somewhere else…”

Dan shakes his head, even though she can’t see it. “No, no. That’s fine. That sounds good. Your house at four.”

“Okay,” he can hear the smile in Suzy’s voice, “Good. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Dan smiles a small smile. “Tomorrow. Bye, Suzy.”

“Bye, Dan.”

 

He was extra fidgety that night while Brian was over, and of course the man never fails to notice anything.

“What’s up, now?” Brian cringes softly. “I’m sorry, I think that may have made me sound more irritated than I actually am.”

Dan just shakes his head and waves it away. “Nah, man, it’s cool. I just. So I talked to Suzy.”

Brian pauses for a split second before deciding to play it cool. “Oh, yeah?” he asks nonchalantly, “What did she have to say?”

“We’re meeting tomorrow. We didn’t really talk about anything other than how we need to talk, and I’m going to their house around four.”

“Well. That’s definitely a start, man. I’m sure you guys are going to be able to get all of this figured out.”

“I hope so.” Dan sighs and rests his head on the back of the couch. “Talking to her made me realize how much I miss them. I guess that probably sounds pretty lame.”

“No, man, I get it. I understand. Do you want me to come with you for moral support or something? I can just hang out in another room, if you want.”

“No, no. Really, man. It’s cool. Thanks but… I’ll be fine.” Bless Brian Wecht.

 

Friday is agonizing. Dan can’t decide if he wants the day to go faster so he can finally see them again, or just stop completely so he can stop freaking out about what’s going to go down tonight. He stress eats half a pint of chocolate ice cream and feels sick all morning.

He tries not to watch the clock, but can’t seem to help it. At one he finds himself upside down on his couch, legs thrown over the back, and watching an Animal Planet special about bats. He gets dizzy from all the blood rushing to his head and uprights himself after a while. At two, he decides to work on some music for NSP. He struggles to focus, though, and ends up spending more time doodling in the margins of his notebook. At three, Dan finds himself already showered, dressed and ready to go. His stomach has begun churning at a new intensity, and Dan decides to just drive aimlessly for a while. He hopes it will clear his head and calm his stomach. 

At 3:57 Dan finds himself pulling into Arin and Suzy’s driveway. Fortunately, the drive helped to soothe him as he had been hoping, but his stomach was still knotting at the prospect of going up to the door. He sits in the car for a few minutes until he finally just forces himself to go. Steeling himself, he takes a deep breath, and knocks.

Suzy answers the door. Her small smile is genuine, but tired.

“Hey, Dan. Come in.”


	7. Chapter 7

It was awkward, to say the least. Sitting in the arm chair, looking at Arin and Suzy sitting on the couch, looking at him. He doesn’t know what to say. Arin looks miserable, barely making eye contact with Dan, and Suzy looks just as awkward as Dan feels. She’s the first to break the silence, and Dan couldn’t be more grateful.

“So… Dan. I feel like we – Arin and I – we should explain ourselves.” The couple exchanges a look.

“First, I’m pretty sure you’re wondering if I’m mad,” Suzy says. “I’m not.” Dan can feel his face twist up slightly in confusion.

“Arin and I, we have kind of… an open relationship,” Suzy explains. “Sort of.” 

She twists up her mouth and knits her brows, trying to find the right words. Dan can’t help but find it endearing. “We are always together, no matter what. But sometimes Arin sees other people, and sometimes I see other people. And sometimes we see the same person, together.” She gives Dan a meaningful look.

Dan thinks he’s beginning to understand. “Like… polyamory?” he asks.

Suzy smiles brightly and nods. “Right! Polyamory.”

Arin seems to finally find the courage to speak up. “Yeah, uh… So, I thought that maybe, you seemed into us? But I kind of did things ass-backwards and I freaked you out,” he pauses. “Man, I didn’t even check to make sure it was okay to kiss you, I’m such a dick.”

Dan is incredibly still the entire time Arin speaks. Is he hearing all of this correctly? “Uh, it’s okay.”

Arin shakes his head, the self-loathing apparent on his face. “No, it’s not okay. That wasn’t cool to do, whether I was reading the situation right or not. I’m really sorry, dude.”

Dan made sure to make eye contact with Arin this time, holding his gaze as he says, “Arin. It’s alright.” Looking away this time, he says, “Actually, uh… I kind of liked it. Well, I really liked it,” he looks back at Arin, “But I didn’t understand the situation. I thought that I might have, like, just seriously fucked some things up.”

“I’m really, really sorry for that. Like I said, I should have explained things first. I should have checked with you.” The look of remorse on his face is genuine, but there’s also some hope in his eyes. Suzy decides to jump in again. 

“So, now that we’ve explained ourselves, we’d like to… extend an invitation.”

Dan’s head is spinning. What? “Like… to date.”

“Yes.”

“Both of you?”

“Well… yeah. If you’d like.”

“And… you’re married.”

“Right…”

“But you’re both cool with it?” Suzy and Arin just nod in tandem. Arin has an enormous grin on his face, and man, all Dan wants to do is kiss him again.

Dan is glad he’s sitting down. It’s a lot of information to take in all at once. This is crazy! Is this really happening? To him? This is far more than he ever allowed himself to hope for. Sure, he thought about it, but never did he expect it to actually happen. Everything he wants is just being offered to him on a silver platter, no catches.

How could he possibly say no?

 

“It’s kinda weird,” Dan finds himself saying to Brian almost a week later. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s awesome. It’s basically like before but now I get to see them every day and we’re allowed to kiss and stuff. I think surreal might be a better word. It just… doesn’t feel real. It’s weird.”

“Yeah, I think I understand. You’ll get used to it, though. And you’re happy, right?” Brian asks, fiddling with the settings on his keyboard.

Dan nods. “Yeah.”

Brian nods back. “Good. Then don’t worry about it. Okay, now what do you think of this riff for the bridge?”

 

Weeks continue to fly by, and Dan gets into a new kind of routine. He gets up and goes to work. He handles the day the best way he knows how, and then some days he goes to his apartment, but most days he goes to Arin and Suzy’s. Some nights they go out, to eat or to a show or whatever, but most nights they just stay at home. Suzy cooks the most. Dan and Arin can both cook a few things, but for the most part they just try to stay out of the way. And when no one feels like cooking, they just order take out.

Most nights like these were spent on the couch. Usually Arin sat in the middle, with Dan and Suzy tucked into each side. They would quietly watch TV or just talk about whatever was on their minds until eyelids started to droop and they decided to head up to bed. 

Some nights, though… some nights there were make out sessions on the couch that led to more. Some nights they ended up in the bedroom, all sweat-slicked skin and heavy breathing. Dan had worked hard to figure out all of Arin and Suzy’s noises, what all of the little gasps and moans meant. They all had bottomed, and everyone had topped, too. Even Suzy. ESPECIALLY Suzy. God, if she couldn’t be more than a little dominating whenever the strap-on got involved. (Not that Dan didn’t love it…)

October had come and nearly gone. The house was all decked out in Halloween decorations, thanks to Suzy, but they were having a party to celebrate the spooky holiday, so Dan and Arin were helping her add some streamers and some other extra decorations to their living room and kitchen. After hanging the last little bit in the living room, Suzy headed back to the kitchen to work on punch and food. 

Arin wraps his arms around Dan’s waist and nuzzles his face into Dan’s neck. “Man, I love you.”

Dan feels heat rush to his face and he grins as he wraps his arms around Arin’s shoulders. They’re words they’ve exchanged before, but Dan just couldn’t get over the way it still gave him butterflies every time one of them said it. “I love you, too.”

Arin suddenly pulled out of the hug, though he grabbed Dan’s hand to keep some contact. “Suzy and I think you should move in with us.”

Dan’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Arin is quick to respond, though still oddly nonchalant about the whole thing. “It’s just that, well, you’re already here so much of the time anyway, and we just thought… well we thought it would be a good idea.”

Dan opens his mouth to say something, but Arin cuts him off. “You don’t have to say anything right now, okay? Actually, I really want you to think about it first. Just… when you’ve really thought about it and have an answer, let us know.”

Before Dan can say anything, Arin pecks him on the corner of the mouth and turns around to go help Suzy in the kitchen. 

 

The party goes without a hitch. It’s relatively small, just the triad couple and their closest friends. Dan was a little unsure as to how his addition to the relationship would be taken, as they hadn’t really discussed it openly with everyone, but no one batted an eye. Brian or Ross would occasionally pretend to be sick anytime any of them showed any sort of affection to the other, but it was all in good fun, and Dan would just roll his eyes and smack them in the arm, trying to hide his smile.

After they’ve cleaned up for the night and changed into pajamas, Arin goes to bed, claiming he’s tired, while Dan and Suzy end up back on the couch. Dan can’t help but think about all of the important relationship-related moments that have happened on this couch. It makes him smile as he wraps an arm around Suzy, who’s curled up at his side.

She smiles up at him and kisses the underside of his jaw. “Y’know,” she begins, “Arin and I have been talking lately…”

She sits up straight so she can look at Dan. Expecting her to bring up moving in, he’s a little surprised at what comes out next. “And we’d kind of like to close the relationship. Not like, to you, you can still be involved,” she amends before Dan can start to panic too much, “As a matter of fact, we really want you to be involved. Just… to anyone else. So then it would just be us three, if that’s okay. We wanted to check with you first.”

It’s odd, he’d kind of forgotten he was even in an open relationship. Dan can’t imagine dating anyone else, and he’s not really sure how he would react if either Arin or Suzy started dating anyone else. It would be difficult for him, to say the least. At this thought, Dan finds himself nodding in response to Suzy.

“Yeah, uh, definitely. I’d really like that, actually.”

Suzy smiles brightly and slips back into her place beneath Dan’s arm. “Awesome. We can talk to Arin about it in the morning, okay?” Dan nods and kisses the top of her head.

She yawns, making her nose scrunch up in an adorable way. “You’re the first person to really work out for us, did you know that?” she mumbles sleepily. “Arin and I have dated several people, and none of them have really worked out before, y’know? But you, you’re different.” She yawns again. “A good different. I love you.”

Dan finds himself a little choked up when he tries to speak again. “Love you, too, Scuze,” he says.

He sits there as Suzy falls asleep on him, wondering what he did to deserve to love and be loved by two such amazing people. It’s crazy to him that just over six months ago, these people were strangers to him. Just two faces in a grocery store, albeit faces that he was definitely attracted to. Dan couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with love for them. He knew he couldn’t ask for anything more.

The next morning, after talking with Arin about closing the relationship, he decides to bring up his moving in. 

“I’ve thought about it, Arin, I really have,” says Dan. “And honestly, there isn’t anything else that could possibly make me happier right now than moving in with the two people I love more than anything else in the world. I would love to move in with you guys.”

He’s engulfed in a hug from both Arin and Suzy, and Dan feels a wide smile split his face. He truly believes there’s no way he could be any more content than he is now, and he hugs them tightly as he yet again holds back tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little bit longer than the others, but it finishes up the story quite nicely, I think. I promised it would all work out in the end, haha. Yaaaay for egoflapbang love!
> 
> Thanks to all who read, commented, left kudos, etc! I've appreciated it all. This went much better than I thought posting my first fic would go, and I definitely think I'll probably end up posting more sometime in the future. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


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